DRC/The city of Mbuji-Mayi will soon be lit by the Tubi Tubidi power plant

The substation at the PMKO site in the commune of Bipemba (Mbuji-Mayi) is now supplied with electrical power. The 3 megawatt power station is supplied by the Tubi Tubidi hydroelectric power station, operated by Société Anhui d'investissement minier (SACIM).

The first test bulbs were switched on about two weeks ago by Société Nationale d'Electricité (SNEL) officials.

After a year's work, the Tshibue-Boya-Katende-Mbuji-Mayi-Kabeya-Kamwanga power transmission line is already supplied with electricity, thanks to the expertise of SNEL engineers. thanks to the expertise of SNEL engineers.

The power comes from the Tubi Tubidi hydroelectric plant, built by the Anhui Mining Investment Company, which mines diamonds in the Boya locality, Miabi territory.

Testing has been underway for around two weeks, and the bulbs are lighting up the Bipemba substation in Mbuji-Mayi.

In the memorandum of understanding signed with the provincial government, SACIM had planned to build a 12-megawatt dam, 4 of which would be ceded to the provincial government.

Sources close to SNEL indicate that the Miabi substation is already supplied. The Kabeya-Kamwanga substation will be powered up in a few hours.

In a few weeks' time, the substation in Mbuji-Mayi will be distributing electricity throughout the city, starting with the commune of Bipemba.

Many observers believe that the commissioning of these substations will boost the local economy and resolve the difficulties associated with the lack of electrical power.

A single hydroelectric plant

Kasaï-Oriental has only one hydroelectric dam, built at Tshiala and commissioned in 1933 on the Lubilanji river in the Katanda territory.

The plant is managed by Energie du Kasaï (Enerka), a subsidiary of Société minière de Bakwanga (MIBA).

It was created by MIBA to provide electrical power for diamond production at the mining polygon.

Over 20 years ago, it had an installed capacity of 18 megawatts. In recent years, however, the power plant has produced just 3.2 megawatts, a low output given that the MIBA polygon alone requires 2.5 megawatts to operate.

Source: www.radiookapi.net/